The Drum

"What do you do to relieve stress from school situations?" This was the question I was asked in an interview. Of course, my first response was, "I write. I keep a journal and I write." This, because I am a writer and a writing teacher. I then talked about practicing silence... my spiritual quest to learn to listen more and talk less. I concluded that I like to walk my dogs and that my husband and I are boaters, so we like to take our family and friends boating.

What I forgot to mention was my drum. Perhaps it's because I haven't gone to my drumming class lately. Too much stress. What a mistake. Learning West African drumming and buying a djembe are honestly the best stress-relievers there are for me. The reason? Because it's the only two hours of the week where I can't think about anything other than the rhythm we are practicing. It's that complicated when drumming to polyphonic rhythms. Like being on a roller-coaster. You have your rhythm and then the next group layers their rhythm and the next layers a third rhythm while at the same time, our teacher keeps time with a tambourine attached to his foot and adds solos with his djembe on top of it all. Add a djun-djun and some claves or a cow-bell and chaos ensues. Either that or the most exhilarating music I have ever heard (or made).

When I was in middle-school, I wanted to choose drums for band. However, I got stuck with the clarinet. So, learning to drum at this stage of life is a gift to my little girl self. Playing in the school band was great, though. Participating in a group to make music together is just so satisfying. But, there is nothing like the joy of banging on a drum. Especially hand-drumming. It's physical. Visceral. Real. No room in my brain to worry or work a poem through or dream up lesson plans. I am completely present in the moment of the rhythm.

So, with this reminder, I am inspired to return to my weekly drum class. Another reason is because I have been blessed with the world's greatest drum teacher, Tripp Bratton. Not only is he incredibly talented, he is brilliant. He knows the history of rhythms and teaches us. He also happens to have one of the kindest faces I have ever met. It's because of his soul. He is a kind and generous soul and it radiates from every pore of his being.

It's time for me to return to the drum. I'm so grateful for the interview I had. It reminded me that all professionals experience stress and we need to work our tools to relieve it. If I'm super-stressed out now teaching full-time while working full-time to find a job... I must find time to drum. My soul will thank me.